H120
Operational flexibility in a small, sturdy helicopter

Introduction

Designed with simplicity in mind, the H120 (formerly known as the EC120 B) is both user-friendly and versatile. Its performance, comfort, cost-effectiveness and low noise profile make this lightweight helicopter the choice of private customers, corporations, law enforcement agencies and governments.

Aircraft

Backed by experience and a long heritage

The H120 is a member of Airbus Helicopters' light Colibri family of aircraft. It draws on the company’s 50+ years of experience designing, manufacturing and supporting light single-engine helicopters.

Some 700 H120s have been delivered in 50 plus countries.

With more than 400 operators, these aircraft have collectively surpassed 1.5 million flight hours. More than 600 H120s are in-service worldwide today.

Comfortable, quiet and panoramic

The H120 comfortably seats one pilot and four passengers inside a wide, unobstructed cabin with ample leg room and air conditioning.

Exceptionally low vibration levels provide additional comfort, and its third generation Fenestron® tail rotor make this rotorcraft the quietest in its class.

Adding to this helicopter’s appeal is a panoramic view through the expansive glass windshield and side windows, providing unmatched visibility for all those aboard.

State-of-the-art technology

The H120 integrates technologies more advanced than any other light single-engine helicopter in its class in the world. These advances help make the aircraft easier to fly, safer and more cost-effective.

The H120 is the only single-engine helicopter to meet the requirements of the new FAR/JAR 27 safety regulations, which include incorporation of crashworthy fuel systems and energy-attenuating fuel structures and seats.

Simple and cost-effective maintenance

The simple design of the H120 offers a new maintenance concept specifically adapted for modern light-helicopter operations.

Most of the maintenance tasks can be performed by the operators themselves with a limited need for specific tools.

This independent maintenance has considerably reduced the operating costs of the aircraft.

Missions

Law enforcement

Nicknamed the “eye in the sky”, the H120 is a preferred helicopter for law enforcement agencies, which benefit from its discrete operation, effective maneuverability and enhanced safety features.

The wide, unobstructed flat-floor cabin provides room for both police forces and mission equipment, while the sturdy airframe accommodates a wide range of externally and internally-mounted items, such as forward looking infra-red (FLIR) cameras and search lights.

The H120 is used to perform surveillance, crowd control, anti-terrorist support, firefighting, drug detection and border patrol duties, among others.

Aerial work

Easily configured and reconfigured, the H120 can easily be equipped for a variety of aerial work missions.

The H120 is an excellent helicopter for initial and recurrent pilot training, thanks to its compact size, low operating cost, ease of use, simple design and cabin visibility.

Equipped with the most advanced technologies and enhanced energy-absorbing systems, the H120 can perform training missions with optimal safety.

Private, business and governmental aviation

The spacious cabin, generous visibility and large luggage compartment make the H120 ideal for passenger transportation.

The helicopter is neighborhood friendly, thanks to its exceptional low sound level when flying over urban areas.

The H120 is also available in the exclusive Stylence® version, specially designed with corporate needs in mind.

News

Airbus Helicopters fleet surpasses the 10 million flight hour milestone in service with the oil and gas sector

Marignane, France, 14 January 2015

Utilized worldwide in some of the most challenging conditions, the deployed fleet of Airbus Helicopters rotorcraft in service for the oil and gas industry has accumulated more than 10 million flight hours as of the end of 2014.

The milestone marks a new achievement in the 50-plus year history of heli-lift duties performed by Airbus Helicopters’ product line. Operations began with the Alouette during the 1960s and continued with rotorcraft in the Super Puma, Dauphin and Ecureuil families. The reliable BO105 and Puma contributed, as did representatives from Airbus Helicopters’ EC135, EC145, and EC120 among others. Airbus Helicopters’ new-generation EC175 is also now a part of the oil and gas global fleet, as it began operations in the North Sea following the first delivery to NHV last December.

“Airbus Helicopters is proud to be an important part of the oil and gas sector’s development around the globe, and we are committed to continuing this relationship with capable aircraft that are backed by our company’s dedication to safety, reliability and efficiency,” said Christopher Grainger, Airbus Helicopters’ Vice President - Oil and Gas.

Of the estimated 2,300 rotorcraft used in oil and gas missions today, approximately 25 percent are produced by Airbus Helicopters. The leading geographic region is in the Americas, where the company’s helicopters have accumulated more than 4.12 million flight hours, followed by Europe (3.27 million flight hours), Asia (over 1.82 million flight hours), Africa (more than 557,000 flight hours) and Oceania (216,000 flight hours).

In addition to such established oil and gas zones as the North Sea and Gulf of Mexico, Airbus Helicopters’ product line is increasingly utilized by operators in the evolving energy sector regions that range from China and Myanmar to Africa. Airbus Helicopters supports its international operator base by strategically locating resources that include spare parts centers, training facilities with full-flight simulators, as well as technical and safety representatives.

Airbus Helicopters’ leading rotorcraft for these operations is the workhorse Super Puma family, which accounts for approximately 2,785,000 of the total flight hours. The 11-ton-class EC225 has been further developed to meet users’ evolving requirements – especially the increasing distances involved for oil and gas transport missions. Among the enhancements are increased payload, additional fuel tank capacity, new cabin layouts for improved passenger comfort and new avionics to significantly increase pilots’ situational awareness while reducing workload. The EC225e, expected for certification and delivery in 2016, is poised to become the new asset for Oil & Gas operators. It will meet the evolving expectations of customers in the industry offering an even more cost effective aircraft that can also perform a 300-NM radius of action with a new seating layout.

A new era in heli-lift services has begun with the first delivery of Airbus Helicopters’ EC175. The 7-ton-class rotorcraft has been certified to the latest airworthiness standards, covering both the helicopter and its new Helionix® avionics suite. The helicopter’s radius-of-action in an oil and gas mission configuration enables 16 passengers to be transported to offshore rigs at distances of 140 nautical miles (NM.) on crew change flights, extending to nearly 200 NM. when 12 passengers are carried.

The light twin-engine EC145 T2 – evolved from Airbus Helicopters’ BK117/EC145 family with the latest state-of-the-art technology – is poised to meet the demands of missions requiring shorter range both onshore and offshore, and the first helicopters in this version were delivered in July 2014. Capable of seating up to 10-11 persons, the EC145 T2’s oil and gas version will be ready for service in 2015.

Also proven in oil and gas duties around the globe are Airbus Helicopters’ Dauphin family of medium-weight rotorcraft, and its Ecureuil series in both the single- and twin-engine configurations.

About Airbus HelicoptersAirbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, is a division of Airbus Group, a global pioneer in aerospace and defense related services. Airbus Helicopters is the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer and employs more than 23,000 people worldwide. With 46 percent market share in civil and parapublic sectors, the company’s fleet in service includes some 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in approximately 150 countries. Airbus Helicopters’ international presence is marked by its customer centers and participations in 21 countries, and its worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. Airbus Helicopters’ range of civil and military helicopters is the world’s largest; its aircraft account for one third of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. The company’s chief priority is to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft for the thousands of people who fly more than 3 million hours per year.

The X3 Team Receives Award and Makes a Big Announcement

During the American Helicopter Society’s (AHS) 68th annual forum today in Fort Worth, Texas, the X3 team received the prestigious Howard Hughes award for helicopter technology improvement, acknowledging Eurocopter’s successful validation of its helicopter-plane hybrid concept. During this occasion, it was also revealed that the X3 demonstrator aircraft will make its way to the United States this summer, as it is set to tour parts of the country and be presented to civil and military customers alike.

The X3 technological demonstrator – which performed its first flight in September 2010 and surpassed its initial speed objective by attaining 232 knots in level, stable flight in May 2011 – combines the speed of a turboprop-powered aircraft and the full hover flight capabilities of a helicopter. Eurocopter foresees many applications for the hybrid helicopter concept in the U.S. market, including missions where high speed and long range are a must, such as long-distance search and rescue (SAR), border patrol, coast guard, special forces and offshore oil and gas transportation.

The X3’s U.S. tour will include stopovers in multiple cities, beginning in Grand Prairie, Texas, the headquarters of American Eurocopter. Operators will have the opportunity not only to learn about the aircraft up close – but to fly it as well. Stay tuned in to Eurocopter for more information and to follow the X3’s journey to the land of red, white and blue.

When asked why he has consistently chosen Eurocopter products, Spring cited an array of competitive advantages: “There are obvious reasons for choosing the same manufacturer: pilot familiarity, pilot and maintenance training, common parts. And then there are the machines themselves. I am a big fan of the open cabin concept: the visibility on the EC120 and EC130 is fantastic! We perform a large array of missions such as for oil and gas and animal and environment surveys which require optimum visibility. Eurocopter helicopters are fast and comfortable, and we love the Fenestron which allows our pilots to land in unprepared, confined areas—quite typical in some of the more remote places in Canada. The Fenestron also ensures safety in MEDEVAC missions, as we don’t have to worry about accidents occurring with the tail rotor.”

Paul was anxious to have a closer look at some of the innovations on the booth, and praised Eurocopter on the selection of the aircraft on display: “I am particularly interested in seeing what Air Methods has done with the cockpit configuration of the EC130 for EMS missions.” Up